Theses
on Cognitive Artifacts
by
Gerry Stahl, December 2000
1. Perspectival
Understanding
All
understanding of matters like those of the following theses are developed from
one’s situated perspective. Accordingly, this take on the seminar is only one
possible, defensible interpretation – namely, one from the perspective of
someone who wants to develop a theoretical framework for computational cognitive
artifacts.
2. Theory
Theory
is a form of reflection intended to inform practice. Classical theory was
systematized in the discourse of philosophy; modern theory was conducted within
specialized disciplines; postmodern theory is trans-disciplinary.
3. Critical Theory
The
default, generally unexpressed theory driving scientific practice has been
positivist, behaviorist, cognitivist – giving a priority to empirical fact,
operationalizable activity, mental representation. The critique of this
tradition is philosophically grounded in Hegel, Marx, late Wittgenstein, and
Heidegger. Critical theory exposes hidden assumptions and the interests they
served, and offers an alternative conceptualization
4. Cognitive
Science
The
dominant focus on mental representations in cognitive science is fundamentally
challenged by distributed cognition, situated action, activity theory.
Representations for mental computation are shown to be just one form of
cognition and are analyzed as the result of historical processes influenced by
socio-cultural contexts.
5. The Mental
All
mental, conceptual, intentional phenomena are dependent upon people – living
and dead, individually and in groups. Individual human minds are dependent upon
biological mechanisms, but cannot be explained by them; mind is a social
development that goes beyond biological human evolution (although the two may
have interacted).
6. Theory of Mind
Artifacts
which can be used as part of a mental procedure or incorporated into mental
procedures are called “cognitive artifacts.” Mental procedures are cognitive
artifacts. A person’s mind is entirely the cumulative product of his or her
internalization of artifacts: words, speech genres, patterns of thought,
personal perspectives of other people, narratives, etc.
7. Artifacts
Artifacts
(e.g., gestures, works of art, computer simulations) have human intentions or
meanings embodied in their design. These meanings are incorporated and preserved
in the artifacts, and may become sedimented, alienated, or otherwise transformed
through history and socio-cultural context. They are re-activated in effective
use of the artifact by people who tacitly understand this meaning.
8. Culture
The
culture of a society or a community is its shared understanding of the use of
its common (shared, “cultural”) artifacts. This understanding is embodied in
its artifacts (including words, mythic narratives, folk theories, habits of
mind, roles in the division of labor, etc.).
9. Collaborative
Learning
The
understanding of cultural artifacts must be learned anew by children and other
new-comers. This takes place through social interaction and is a collaborative
achievement. The processes by which people learn to use and sometimes to
internalize cognitive artifacts is not well understood.
10. Social
Reproduction
The
network of cultural artifacts which define our lives and minds appears to us as
an edifice of given social structures and objective realities, yet it is
produced, renegotiated, and reproduced in the performance of everyday social
interaction. It can be demythologized through detailed observation within an
interpretive science of human interaction. This will produce a perspectival
understanding, a theoretical framework, a critical theory.
11. Computer
Support
The
global networking of computational cognitive artifacts presents extraordinary
opportunities and challenges in light of the foregoing theses. Mind, culture,
collaborative learning, and social reproduction can be exponentially expanded
and supported. The design of artifacts to do this is a complex challenge, but
even more so is the effective comprehension and adoption of such artifacts by a
population that is still predominantly at home with manipulating artifacts of
oral culture.
References
1. Perspectival Understanding
Gadamer 1960
2. Critical Theory
Private communications: Stahl vs. Craig 2000
3. Critical Theory
Redding 1996, Hegel 1807, Marx 1867, Heidegger 1927, Wittgenstein 1953
4. Cognitive Science
Engeström 1999, Koschmann 1999, Cole 1996
5. The Mental
Geertz 1973, Donald 1991, Bereiter 2000
6. Theory of Mind
Bruner 1990, Bakhtin 1986, Vygotsky 1930
7. Artifacts
Heidegger 1935, Benjamin 1936, Husserl 1936,, Hutchins & Palen 1998, Streeck 1996, Streeck & LeBaron 2000
8. Culture
Wenger 1998, Hutchins 1999, Norman 1993, Lakoff 1987, Ehn 1988
9. Collaborative Learning
Hall 1996, Suchman 1987, Hutchins 1993, Roschelle 1996
10. Social Reproduction
Jordan & Henderson 1995, Bourdieu 1972, Giddens 1984, Habermas 1981
11. Computer Support
Stahl 1999, Keil-Slawik 1992, Stahl 2000
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